February 10, 2023

A MESSAGE FROM

Middle School Division Director

Mr. Ron Hamilton

Greetings, Middle School Kodiaks!

Here are some goings on and happenings in the Middle School world for the rest of February and beginning of March.

Show Your Kodiak Pride With Middle & Upper School Spirit Week

Show your Kodiak pride and dress up for spirit week beginning Monday, February 13. Remember, be creative and think outside of the box – spirit week is about fun and not fashion! All outfits and costumes must be dress code-appropriate.

Monday: Superhero / Villain Day

Tuesday: Heart Out aka Pink Out

Wednesday: Athletic Jersey Day / Dress like your Favorite Author or Musician

Thursday: Blue Out / Kodiak Gear Day

Friday: Advisory Color* & Crazy Hair / Hat Day

Ms. Lindeman (Green); Ms. Beardsley (Yellow); Mr. Johnson (Pink); Mrs. Price (Red); Mr. White (Blue); Ms. Fuller (Purple); Mrs. Dougherty (Black); Mr. Fruge (Grey)

Middle School Ski Trip UPDATE

The Ski Trip to Monarch – previously scheduled for Saturday, March 4 – has been rescheduled for Friday, March 10. Middle School students are scheduled to be out of school that day so that faculty can prepare for Seminar II. Rescheduling the Ski Trip to March 10 has led to a significant drop in price for our families and allows us to now include tubing as a snowy-fun option for students who do not ski or snowboard. Please fill out the Middle School Ski Trip Interest Survey, even if you filled it out previously, as we’ve updated the options. Remember, parents cannot ride on the bus with us but are absolutely welcome to drive separately and enjoy the day on the slopes with students and staff members. We will have staff members on the slopes and in the lodge for scheduled student check-ins throughout the day. Students should also pack a lunch or bring pocket money to purchase food at the lodge.

KCSS: The Voice of the Kodiak

A group of aspiring 7th graders, led by our Director of Strategic Marketing & Communications Mrs. Winnicker, has begun the process of reviving the KCSS radio station with a Generation Z twist. Students will be creating music playlists, morning announcements, and podcasts to be shared with our community during morning drop-off, and at assemblies and other special events. Once these inaugural broadcasts are ready, you will receive a notification. We’ll see you on the airwaves!

School-wide Curriculum Project

Thought you might want to know about an amazing, far-reaching project that all teachers and Division Directors at CSS have been working on continuously to review, document, and update the learning units taking place in each classroom throughout the year. At the end of the 2022-2023 academic year, each academic department adopted model standards to pair with their unit plans. And, this school year we’re using Late Start Wednesdays to define our Kodiak Standards, a selection of prioritized content areas and grade-level standards that define what each student should know and be able to do at the end of every year. Kodiak Standards are specific to CSS and represent an ongoing, research-based evaluation of our school's best practices and learning goals. This entire process ensures that students meet their learning goals as they progress from grade level to grade level without gaps or sudden shifts in performance expectations. 

Feb. 16

Senior Night & MS Advisory Competition

CSS's athletic Senior Night will take place during the Varsity Basketball Game

on Thursday, February 16 against Fountain Valley School. The Middle School Advisory with the most members who attend the game in spirit gear will win a pizza party (Snacks that appeal to all tastes and dietary restrictions will also be provided) sponsored by me. Come cheer our teams on! 

Feb. 20

School Closed: Presidents' Day

Feb. 24

School Closed: Teacher In-Service Day

On Friday, February 24, the school will be closed to all students while teachers have an in-service day. Parents of Lower School students will be attending Student-led Parent-Conferences on this day, however, Middle and Upper School Conferences will not take place until Friday, March 31.

Mar. 1

Eighth Grade Walkabout Meeting (Mandatory for Parents)

Mark your calendars! On Wednesday, March 1, at 6 p.m. a mandatory meeting for the parents of 8th graders will take place in the Trianon Terrace Room. Mr. White and Ms. Holman will be sending out an invitation with more information as we near the meeting date.

Mar. 2

Read to Lead Month & Scholastic Book Fair at CSS

Thursday, March 2 is Read Across America Day. But, why stop at just one day when you can read for the whole month of March?! Back for the second straight year, Read to Lead invites Lower and Middle School students – and their families – to participate in a division-wide reading contest. CSS’s annual Scholastic Book Fair will also take place from Monday, March 4, through Friday, March 10. Learn more

Mar. 10

Middle School Closed (Ski Trip Optional)

As indicated above, Middle School students will not be attending classes but may attend our Ski Trip on Friday, March 10, while their teachers prepare for Seminar II.

Homework Hall is Not Optional

Students assigned to Homework Hall by one of their teachers must report to Mr. White’s room on the assigned day (a Monday or a Friday) from 2:25 p.m. until 3:15 p.m. Students are assigned to Homework Hall if they have missing assignments. If a student turns in an assignment late and has been referred to Homework Hall by their teacher, they are expected to attend even if they’ve finished the assignment prior to the Homework Hall session. Teachers will talk with students one-on-one and email students and parents when assigning Homework Hall. Students who are assigned to Homework Hall will miss their scheduled activity and will be unable to attend athletics. If a parent indicates that a student cannot attend a scheduled Homework Hall for any reason, the student will be re-assigned to the next Homework Hall. Students who fail to attend Homework Hall may earn a disciplinary consequence. Families and students should talk with a teacher prior to missing an assigned due date to determine if an extension is appropriate.

Get on the Bus

Our bus drivers are seeing an increase in unregistered CSS students going home with registered bus riders on our school buses. Parents should contact the Business Office in advance whenever this will occur, as permission needs to be on file. Teachers are likewise directed to route parents requesting this kind of transportation change to the Business Office, which must have emergency contact information and an email or note documenting the one-time ride.

If students frequently ride the bus home with a friend, the Business Office may charge this student’s family the standard bus route fee for the semester.

Snow Days & eLearning

Due to the need to maintain a set number of school contact days this year, and a desire to not extend the school year past the 2022-2023 academic calendar, CSS will begin instituting eLearning days once we’ve reached the limit of allowable snow days.

Middle and Upper School eLearning schedules will mirror our current daily period schedules, and Google Classroom will remain the primary location for assignments, communication and guidance for each class. Teachers and students will log-in to the Google Meet link in their Google Classroom at the beginning of each period for a minimum of 15 minutes, students will receive a session of direct instruction, and then continue working independently or in small groups, with the teacher remaining in the Meet for questions and support. Advisory, study halls, and community meetings will be canceled on inclement weather days when eLearning occurs.

Parent Volunteer Opportunity Survey Still Open

Kindly complete the following Parent Volunteer Opportunities Survey and contact me if you have questions or ideas to share.

Yours,

Ron Hamilton, M.A.Ed. Leadership

Middle School Division Director

Semester I Honors Assembly

On February 8, our rescheduled Middle and Upper School honors assembly took place in the Louisa Performing Arts Center (LPAC). Middle School students who earned a Kodiak Scholars distinction in one or more classes, or who made the Honor Roll or High Honor Roll by earning exemplary grades in Semester I were recognized with certificates of merit. Though this event was a teacher- and students-only event, all families are invited to attend our year-end awards ceremony on May 24, at 11 a.m. in LPAC.

Bungie Barbie Away

As a way to experience first-hand the math instruction they’ve been encountering in the classroom, the Class of 2027 was treated to their annual Bungie Barbie lab with Ms. Lindeman this morning. Using their data collection, calculation, and prediction skills, students did their best to keep Barbie from going SPLAT.

Poor Barbie…

The Colorado Springs School

21 Broadmoor Ave, Colorado Springs, CO 80906

Work: (719)434-3537, ext.550

rhamilton@css.org | www.css.org